Child Care

Affordable, quality and accessible child care is imperative for children and their mothers

 

Child care in the urban areas of Erie & Niagara counties is relatively accessible for daytime care according to research done by the WNY Women's Fund.  However, increased quality and affordability of care are needed because:

• 72% of single, low-income mothers (earning 200 percent of the poverty level or lower) with children under age six were employed in 2008
• In Erie County child care subsidies were allotted to 5,916 children per month although there are nearly 13,000 children under the age of five living in poverty according to the most recent Census.  Even for those eligible for subsidies, child care costs can be cost-prohibitive
• Child care costs in WNY are amongst the highest in the nation averaging between $9,200 and $10,700 per child/year in Erie. 
  
• For a woman making slightly more than the subsidy cutoff (175% of the federal poverty line), child care costs would consume more than 40% of her family income

Currently in WNY there exists:

• No uniform standard or system to access or improve programs.  
• Only 1% of local child care providers have achieved national accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children - a marker of high quality

Quality child care and early intervention:

• Promote healthy cognitive, behavioral and emotional development in children
• Create stability in employment - mother's with reliable child care are significantly more likely to stay on the job than those without regular care
• Return more than 7x on each dollar invested

 

The Foundation continues to work to increase public awareness for the needs around childcare by convening stakeholders ranging from business leaders, providers, and funders. The WNY Women's Foundation will advocate for a state wide policy goal for a family receiving child care subsidy dollars to spend no more than 10% of family income on child care and for access to high quality child care for all families